Pacific Index

Pacific University’s new Band Director Abbie Brown is vibrant, passionate, and is breathing new energy into Pacific’s band program 

  For Abbie Brown, Pacific’s new Band Director, Forest Grove is not necessarily a small town. She grew up in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. “It’s tucked up in the northwest corner of the state,” she explains, “It’s a hidden treasure.” She gushes that the place offered all sorts of outdoor adventures. “I grew up floating on rivers,” Brown describes, and goes on to explain the town is a “very tight-knit, close community, an ‘everybody knew everybody’ kind of situation.” Compared to Eureka Springs, Brown says, Forest Grove is more like a small city. 

Her hometown, smalltown, though, had drawbacks, like because her high school was so small, they did not have a football team which, in turn, meant no high school marching band. But in tenth grade, they got a new band director—and the new director recognized that Eureka Springs had many parades and could support a parade band at the school. That new director went ahead to order a bunch of Somba percussion instruments from Brazil. “I was the one that was always the most into music, so I was the little Drum Major… we would just march down the street with these percussion instruments, just drumming our ears off.” 

When asked how she ended up in Oregon and in the city of Forest Grove, Brown says she was at the will of the job market as a band director. “The job is perfect for me because I get to be a band director and a music education professor, so I get to conduct and express my art while also getting to teach teachers,” she explains. Brown’s passion lies in these two things: to inspire young people to keep playing music in college as well as teach the teachers that will do the same one day. With her new job she aims to spread positivity, preaching the act of being kind to others while also holding that same space for yourself.  

Overall, her plan for the future of the band program is mainly growth. “I want to see the band double in size as soon as possible… all the students, I think, would just have a very positive experience by having more folks in the band.” She adds, “Eventually, I’d love to have two bands here, like a Wind Ensemble and a Symphonic band… filling out the Jazz band, having more brass.” 

With growth, the band could get the opportunity to play at the Oregon Music Educators Association. Bands can apply to play at the conference in January, and Brown definitely notes that as another big goal for her. Traveling, and performing at conferences are just two of the fun things that come with a more robust band and when it does get big enough, Brown is open to putting together a Pep Band that would play in the stands during sporting events. 

When Brown isn’t at work, “I am hanging out with my dog, I’m doing everything that my dog loves to do.” These favorites include hiking, camping (rain or shine), canoeing, kayaking, and so much more. Brown says she’s also, “reading, playing my ukulele, talking with my friends on the phone, connecting with my partner because she lives in Michigan right now, so a lot of Facetime with her.” And luckily, for Brown, another one of her favorite things to do is see live music—which a small city offers!